Chapter Ten: Confessions and Betrayal

Liz stiffened, afraid that it might be Braddock yet again. To her surprise, it was Calvin, apparently out for a little jaunt through the woods. He stopped short when he saw them. "Oh, sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to intrude."

"It's all right, Murtaugh," Charlie replied, "We were just taking a break from the family for a while. What brings you out here?"

Calvin rolled his eyes. "Same thing. Dad won't let any of us anywhere near you guys, so I figured I'd go for a run and hope that I might run into someone." He grinned. "I guess it worked." A brief, awkward silence followed until Calvin cleared his throat and addressed Charlie, "Anne had the same idea I had, she's waiting by the dock for you, if you're interested."

Charlie straightened. "She's waiting for me?"

The older boy nodded, clearly amused. "Didn't you hear me the first time, Baker?"

Charlie glanced apologetically at Liz. "You don't mind, do you?"

Liz shook her head and pushed him gently. "Get going, Chars. Don't keep a lady waiting." She grinned as he jogged off through the trees, then turned back to face Calvin, feeling herself blush under his gaze. "So, how's life treating you? Your face looks better, now."

"What?"

"I meant the 'war wounds' you got from Braddock at that dance last week," she amended hastily, hoping she hadn't insulted him.

He laughed a little. "I gave more than I got, I think. Though most of his bruises aren't where they'd be normally visible unless he's in a swimsuit." He shifted his weight slightly. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Liz nodded and extended her hand for him to pull her to her feet, which he did easily. They stood for a moment, inches apart before Calvin stepped back and offered his arm. They wandered through the woods for some time, just enjoying the scenery and each other's company in silence, until Liz finally cleared her throat and said, "So, you never finished what you were saying that night at the dance – something about girls not appealing to you… What did you mean by that?"

"What do you think I meant?" Calvin responded cryptically.

Liz made a face at him. "That's not fair, Calvin Murtaugh. You're supposed to answer the question, not ask me another one."

He stopped and turned to face her, taking her hands in his. When hestarted to speak, his voice was low and serious. "I meant that, ever since I met you, no other girl seems good enough for me. You saw me as me – the lost, oldest son with a controlling father and seven younger siblings who didn't know what he really wanted from life – instead of the smart, handsome, do-everything Murtaugh boy with the perfect life. You saw the physics whiz, not some future pro-athlete. You made me feel like I could do anything I wanted to."

He paused for a moment. "I was jealous of you at first. I thought you had the perfect life – a loving family, cool parents, and your life all planned out the way you wanted it – even if you were only fifteen. You showed me that no one can be perfect, but that you can be happy anyway, if you choose it. I know too many girls who live with their heads in the clouds, dreaming of someday being beautiful and never realizing that they already are. They obsess over their hair, their clothes, their makeup, and never pay attention to anyone but themselves. When I saw you that summer, I realized how beautiful you were. It was more than your hair and your face – which are beautiful, by the way," he added promptly, making Liz blush, "It was the way you always smiled, always laughed. You would get in water fights with your siblings, fall into the lake and never freak out about your hair getting ruined, roll in the sand with your baby brothers, or camp out with Charlie under the stars, even when you got poured on. And you never minded, because your family was more important than your image, and that made you beautiful."

He suddenly pulled Liz close, his face inches from hers. "And the last thing: of all the girlfriends, all the dates and valentines I've had, I've never met anyone who can make me feel so…" he trailed off, searching for the right word, "…vulnerable. I feel shy and awkward whenever you come around. I forget how to breathe right, and my stomach feels like it's full of butterflies." Liz breathed in sharply, feeling her heart skip a few beats as Calvin's eyes searched her own. "I think… I think I'm in love with you, Liz Baker, and I want to know if you feel the same."

Liz smiled faintly, feeling her legs tremble as she went up on tiptoe to meet his lips. He seemed surprised at first, but he quickly returned her kiss, hugging her tighter.

Suddenly a sharp pain exploded in Liz's shoulder as a sharp-nailed hand clamped down and pulled her away from Calvin. She was spun around to see Rachel Zimmerman standing there, seething. "How dare you kiss my fiancé!" She shrieked, her eyes blazing. She swung to slap Liz's cheek, but the older girl ducked aside, putting several feet between them.

Despite the fact that Rachel had missed, Liz felt as though she had been slapped. Calvin? Engaged to that… witch? She turned her eyes on Calvin, "But I thought you said –"

"No," Calvin interrupted, "it's not what you think! I don't care about… Dad planned this, not me… I don't have a choice! If I had my way I would –" he was cut off abruptly as Rachel clamped a hand over his mouth.

"You have a choice," Liz said coldly, backing slowly away. "You could have at least told me the truth and not led me on with all that stuff about what I saw in you and how different I was from other girls. What were you trying to do? Have a last summer fling before tying yourself down?"

"No, Liz, I wanted to –" he stopped when she held up a hand.

"Don't waste your breath on excuses, Murtaugh. I'll see you at the Labor Day Cup." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there with Rachel's hands clamped around his arm.

Liz came stomping out of the woods and up the stairs to the house. Charlie and Anne were sitting on the dock and Charlie called out, "Liz! How'd it go with –" he was cut off by the slamming of the screen door as she went inside without acknowledging him.

She passed Nigel and Kyle, who were chasing each other around with Nerf guns, and Jess and Kim studying on the couch, and entered her room, where Lorraine sat in a chair, reading a magazine. Ignoring her younger sister's look of concern, Liz fell onto her bed and punched her pillow in frustration. How could she have allowed herself to believe that she had a chance with Calvin? She had known all along that it was too good to be true.

"Liz?" Lorraine asked, sounding worried. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied, feeling her voice tremble with emotion and willing herself not to cry, "I'm fine."

"You know no one's ever going to believe that, Lizzie," Lorraine pointed out, putting her magazine aside. "If this is about the Cup thing…"

"Look, Lorraine," Liz interrupted, sitting up a little, "I know you're trying to help, but I just need some time alone, all right? I don't want to talk to anybody… not even Charlie."

Lorraine raised her eyebrows. Liz refusing to even talk to Charlie was a big deal, and it only happened once in about every six years. However, when it did happen, Liz meant it, and Lorraine knew better than to interfere. Giving her older sister a small smile, she gathered up her magazine and discreetly left the room.

When Liz emerged from her room later that day, she had come to the resolution that she would not mention Calvin ever again and she determined not to give him another second's thought. The phone rang and she went to pick it up. "Hi, is Liz Baker there?"

"This is she."

"Liz, it's Calvin –" She didn't wait to hear the rest, but slammed the phone back on its receiver and went outside, still trying to drive the memory of that morning from her thoughts.

"Hey, honey," Kate Baker greeted as she came down the steps. "Sarah just left to go to the movies with Eliot. She looked absolutely adorable…" she trailed off, taking a closer look at her second daughter. "Are you feeling okay, Lizzie?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Just had a rough morning, don't ask me to explain."

Charlie rose from his seat beneath the tree and came over to her. "Anne called a little while ago. Calvin came home in a bad mood and she wanted to know if you knew anything about it." When Liz didn't answer, he sighed. "You probably do, but I know better than to push you." He pulled her into a hug and whispered, "Tell me when you're ready, okay?"

Grateful for his understanding, Liz hugged him back, enjoying the feeling of being safe in her twin's arms. Safe from Braddock and Calvin, safe from other people's questions, and safe from her own emotions.

And, enter the drama. Of course there has to be drama. And Eliot/Sarah fans? Don't worry, I'll put a little more about them in later. Right now, we have to sort out this little mess with Calvin, eh? Please review! Oh, and, a little favor, just as a gimme present if you will: please write down at least one thing you like and/or dislike about this story so that I know what's good for future stories and what's not. Seriously. I need feedback. I love you guys who review every chapter with "please update" because it lets me know that you're interested and you care about my story, but please please please do this for me! Heck, here's a bribe: I'll write a little one-shot for the fastest response - like/dislike included - and dedicate it to that person. Any CBTD couple you want!

Call me desperate. I love you all:)

Elena